After the last post’s pessimistic note designed to remind us that the ‘prosumer’ model is highly beneficial to big media corporations, here’s something much more optimistic and based around people creating/sharing information.

Under pressure, businesses are shifting towards increased transparency and environmental awareness (think package labelling; think carbon footprint). The technology for visualising information over the web (think Google maps and Google Earth, network maps, direction finders etc.) is becoming more and more sophisticated and pulling in more and more disparate data. Web users are getting increasingly comfortable with adding bits of information to a shared data pool (20,000 people sifted through 160,000 pages of MPs expenses claims in June this year).

Put these three trends together + a great deal of talented individuals at Media Lab at MIT and you get Source Map

When you invite people to an event, buy the ingredients for a recipe, or design the parts of a product, your choices have a significant impact. Some things have vast supply chains that stretch across the world while others are completely regional. Understanding the reach of our sourcing is fundamental to improving economic, social and environmental conditions. (SourceMap)

In this video explaining the tool you can see that it is for producers, business owners and consumers to understand the impact of supply chains.

The site itself is a social/community network where anyone can contribute to a shared understanding of the story behind products. You can simulate supply chains in order to see their potential effects and monitor carbon footprint. So the next time you wonder where your mobile phone actually comes from start with Source Map – maybe someone has started the process, maybe you could contribute.